Near-drowning victim released from hospital

A Wilson County toddler who nearly drowned in the family swimming pool was released from the hospital Tuesday.

Paramedics airlifted two-year-old Addilyn Gray to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt the morning of April 11 after her mother found her face down in the pool.

Wilson County Chief Deputy Larry Bowman said the mother found the girl in the 3-feet-deep, above-ground pool after she went missing for about five minutes Friday at about 8:45 a.m. at their home at 563 Hicks Hollow Road off Hartsville Pike in east Wilson County.

“The child had just learned to open the door,” Bowman said. “Apparently she did and got into the pool.”

Bowman said the mother performed CPR on the child until a sheriff’s deputy and WEMA paramedics arrived.

Cooper said shallow respiration and a pulse were restored at the scene before she was airlifted.

“The mother and daughter were the only ones home at the time,” Cooper said.

He said the child was in and out of consciousness during the flight to Vanderbilt, where doctors later put her into a 72-hour, medically induced coma.

“She’s doing a remarkable recovery,” said Cooper. “It’ll just take a little bit of time to get that full functional ability back from such a traumatic experience.”

A spokesperson for the little girl’s family reached out to Cooper on Tuesday to express their thanks.

“On behalf of Addilyn Gray’s family, they wish to say thank you to everyone that helped and supported them during this traumatic incident. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers during this recovery process,” said Cooper in a statement.